Red Cross resumes operations in north

The Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has resumed its humanitarian operations in northern Uganda, which were suspended earlier this year after its staff came under rebel attack. Robert Kwesiga, URCS Secretary General, told IRIN that his agency had begun distributing non-food items and providing health and sanitation services to the displaced people in northern Uganda. Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in February ambushed two Red Cross vehicles, injuring six volunteers in Pader district. The rebels also stripped the vehicles of their high communication equipment and looted personal effects. Kwesiga said the URCS staff who were injured and traumatised by the incident had returned to their duty stations following their hospitalisation and psycho-social treatment. "You can't say you have any guarantees for safety, it is more about creating a network where you can collaborate on sharing security information with other stakeholders in order to minimise security incidents," Kwesiga added.